According to a release from the governor's office, McCrory signed the measure on Monday, after the state legislature approved it on July 25.

"This law will help ensure the integrity of the North Carolina ballot box and provide greater equality in access to voting to North Carolinians," Gov. McCrory's release stated.

The legislation also ends same-day voter registration and eliminates a high school civics program that encourages students to register ahead of their 18th birthday. Disclosure requirements for campaign ads are weakened and political parties can rake in unlimited corporate donations.

Republicans said the measure will prevent voter fraud and restore faith in elections. But Nonpartisan voting rights groups, Democrats and Libertarians said the true goal is suppressing voter turnout.

Hours after Monday's signing, the American Civil Liberties Union announced it and two other groups had filed a lawsuit challenging the legislation.

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